Court administrator Kevin McCormac (third from right) presents a plaque to HSA CEO Lizzette Yearwood to mark the opening of the renovated children’s corner at the GP Clinic. Also attending the ceremony were prison director Neil Lavis (centre, front), along with members of the HSA, prison service and judicial department, and other volunteers

(CNS): The wait for children to see the doctor at the General Practice Clinic at Cayman Islands Hospital has just become a bit more fun. A joint public and private effort, coordinated by the Judicial Department, refurbished the clinic’s children’s corner, which was formally handed over to the Health Services Authority (HSA) Wednesday, 5 August.

Court Administrator Kevin McCormac presented a plaque at the ceremony, on behalf of all the participating organisations, to HSA CEO Lizzette Yearwood.

“It is very encouraging to see so many persons in the community taking ownership for their hospital and taking the initiative to enhance its environment,” Yearwood said, adding that the children’s corner will serve an important role in entertaining and distracting sick children while they wait to see the doctor.

The waiting room now has a new mural, furniture, books and toys.

Shanna Wallace, acting human resources manager at the Judicial Department, came up with the idea for the refurbishment when she took her son, Caleb, 5, to the clinic for a medical visit and found it challenging to keep the active boy entertained.

“It started as a very small idea, but evolved, expanding eventually to involve the other organisations,” Wallace said.

Judicial staff, as well as the Sunrise Community Church donated time and money; Book Nook gave books and toys; and inmates at Northward Prison built the table and chairs. A volunteer crew of painters created the mural.

Prison director Neil Lavis said he was pleased that Northward had an opportunity to contribute. “We are always looking for ways that inmates of both Northward and Fairbanks can pay back the community through involvement in projects,” he said.

“These opportunities have the dual effect of enabling inmates to give back to society while bringing a sense of purpose to their daily work.”

In addition, they improve prisoners’ skills and afford them a structured working day, Lavis said.

Wallace said she feels a sense of pride in initiating a project that will benefit many other mothers and young children across the community.

Speaking on behalf of all the volunteers who took part, she said, “We all worked together to get to this point and I share that satisfaction with all the many contributors and thank them for their community spiritedness.”

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